RIA-JMTC partners with local college and receives award

By Mr. Rhys Fullerlove (AMC)June 9, 2009

The ICCTA Award
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Partnership Awards
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The Rock Island Arsenal Joint Manufacturing and Technology Center has won multiple awards for building products that support our Soldiers downrange. Friday, they received an award for building a relationship with education and the community.

RIA-JMTC and Black Hawk College received the Business/Industry Partnership award from the Illinois Community College Trustees Association at a ceremony held in Chicago, Ill. The award recognizes an Illinois business that has built a successful workforce-training alliance with a local community college.

Aca,!A"We are not your motherAca,!a,,cs government operation,Aca,!A? said RIA-JMTC Commander, Col. Craig S. Cotter. Aca,!A"We are a business and we are held to cost schedule parameters just like any other business.Aca,!A?

The relationship between Black Hawk College and RIA-JMTC goes back to the early 1970s when the college provided the academic portion of the ArsenalAca,!a,,cs Machinist, Toolmaker and Facility Maintenance Apprenticeships.

Today the RIA-JMTC provides a space where students can be in an industrial environment.

By providing the space and equipment for a welding lab, RIA-JMTC has delivered not just to the college, but to the people who live in this community who are learning a new skill, gaining confidence and finding better paying jobs, said Black Hawk College Quality Marketing Manager, Julie Gelaude.

Aca,!A"Rather than the college spending millions of dollars upgrading their equipment and technology, RIA-JMTC is ready with state-of-the-art machines for students to train on and use,Aca,!A? said RIA-JMTC Machining Chief, Lon Lukasky.

Aca,!A"We can work with Black Hawk College instructors to keep them close to manufacturing and improve their skill base.Aca,!A?

RIA-JMTC also benefits from the partnership. The Business and Industry side of the college has for many years provided customized contract workforce training for computer skills, shop math, blueprint reading, geometric dimensioning & tolerancing, leadership, and Sign Language for the shop floor.

After receiving training through Black Hawk College and RIA-JMTC, many graduates find jobs back within the community.

Aca,!A"After completing the six-week Production MIG Welding Program through Black Hawk College, they helped me submit a professional resume and right after the class, I was hired by a local auto-body company as a production welder,Aca,!A? said program graduate James Needham.

Many students also find jobs at RIA-JMTC after completion of training.

Aca,!A"A lot of those folks that we help train end up coming back into the arsenal,Aca,!A? said Cotter. Aca,!A"We hire them and they make a contribution in making world class equipment for Soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines downrange so they can come back home safely.Aca,!A?

The Rock Island Arsenal Joint Manufacturing and Technology Center and Black Hawk College received the Illinois Community College Trustees Association business/partnership award Friday.

Col. Craig S. Cotter, commander Rock Island Arsenal Joint Manufacturing and Technology Center and Rose Campbell, executive vice president for Black Hawk College pose with the ICCTA Business/Partnership Awards.